Hello my name is Greg, I just found this site. Been looking into Security for a while. Currently i am workin on my computer science major at college but i need some advice as to how i should go about breaking into the security field. Again i am only a student so i am really restricted as to what i can and cannot do. But i am totally willing to learn on my own or at least add on to the( most likely meaninless) things i do know. I have experiance with some hacking and anti-hacking tools as well as some access to them. i would just like to know maby where i should be going with this, because its so new. Maby books or software i could buy. please help me out email me or post back. Thank you.

It's easy man. Just get the * Hacking Exposed * book. Download the tools, install it on 2 systems and test it out. Read more books on hacking issue and security forum. Certainly from there, it will enhance your knowledge and your pespective towards hacking.

Frankly speaking the content, what being learn from CEH is almost the same with the * Hacking Exposed * Book.

CiabanYou make very interesting points. I myself have grown weary of the "inventory of tools" approach many hacking courses like Foundstone take to teach hacking. I must confess I shy away from the "script kiddie" term simply because so many networks are still vulnerable to these types of attacks AND I figure if a system is vulnerable to such attack a "real" hacker would still use these tactics over reinventing the wheel, so to speak.

I've been reading an interesting book recently that I feel addresses the deeper issues you allude to. "Hacking, The Art of Exploitation" by Jon Erickson, No Starch Press. Very interesting discussion of the coding of buffer overflow exploits including assembly coding.

The CEH is a good course and certification. I have been doing Security work for many years without certifications in anything. What is known is that foundstone is a leading secuirty company. But those Kiddie Scripts you guys are talking about, still work.They do port scan.They do Footprinting.They find holes.In the old days. You would use your own script becuase it was an underground thing.Security was not a known issue as it is today.

Tools are available today.Why recreate the wheel.Nothing has changed on the network.Todays tools are BRUTAL, FREE and they work.KIDDIE SCRIPTS.Kiddie scripts can compromise most systems.They were built by Ethical Hackers for test purposes.You better know them.Don't be in front of your Employer telling him the network you should have secured was compromised by a kidde script.Get the drift.

The Certified Eathical Hacker Certification.Lets you know how to read the report.You can say it easy, but its not.Fully understanding some reports are a task in itself.Only by breaking into system can you undrstand how to secure.Everything a hacker needs today is either available in applications or built into the OS.The Cisco Security Certifications are awesome. But they are vendor based. You will nto get a broad picture of what is happening.

So take my word for it.It is worth the $$$ for the Certification.As mentioned there are not many books on the subject.That leaves room for books, instructors, and etc.Security in todays world is needed.The importance of this course cannot be overlooked.Just look at the outline.

It is true it can be done and practice at home. But if you need the training get it.